Death Plateau/Transcript
Transcript * Commander Denulth: Glad you could make it. I've been expecting you. I've heard you've been doing well repelling the trolls so far, but now we need you for something a little harder. The trolls have taken up a position on Death Plateau, and we can't move them. As you know, the trolls have been pushing us hard, and we have to do something before they get too dug in and begin sending forces down the pass. They have stone throwers lining the only path up there that we know about, and the only entrance is narrow and easy to hold. If I didn't know they were pretty much mindless animals I would almost admire the position they have taken. * Player: And you want me to go up there and kill them? * Denulth: Well, no. Sending you alone would be suicidal. What we need is to find another way up there. If we can find another route, then we can try and ambush them, or just spy on their movements. There is a cave beyond the defensive wall to the north west, at the food of the plateau, where you will find a dwarf called Sabbot. He's a surly old geezer, but a good ally. He and his wife were surveying the mountain before the trolls arrived. To get here, go north-west from there, then west past the tower and the ruined wall. Then turn north and you can't miss it. If you go and speak to him, I'm sure that at the very least he'll be able to tell you another route to the plateau. We really need you to help us, with some urgency. It will be dangerous, and you may have to face some combat. Can you do it? * Player: This sounds like a pretty important job, I'll do it. * Denulth: That's great news. May the gods grant you speed. Talking to Sabbot * Player: Hello there. * Sabbot: Hello. What are you after? * Player: I wanted to ask you something. I've been sent to look for a route to Death Plateau. Can you help? * Sabbot: Ambush the trolls, eh? That's an idea. First good one I've heard the Guard have in a long while. But it's not my problem, so I suggest you take your fancy talk elsewhere! * Player: Please! You have to help me! * Sabbot: No I don't. That's the thing you humans don't get. I'll be all right. Your problem ... Well that's not my problem. I don't need you, and if you need me ... well I'd say that makes you the weaker out of the pair of us, doesn't it? * Player: You're going to help me... or else! * Sabbot: Or you'll WHAT? I live in a cave with nothing but rocks, so you can't threaten to rob us. And I've been beating trolls to death with boulders and me bare hands for four years now! If you think you've got what it takes...bring it on! * Player: To be honest I hadn't thought that far enough ahead to come up with an actual threat. OK, let's try something else. Well I'm not moving until you help me! * Sabbot: Well try not to get in me way, because I'm not going to help ya! * Player: Fine! * Sabbot: Fine! * Player: Fine! * Sabbot: Fine! * Player: Fine! * Player: Are you going to help me yet? * Sabbot: No! * Player: Why are you living in this cave? * Sabbot: Cave? CAVE? This is no cave ya idiot! This is clearly hall to the trading post I'm gonna set up with me wife, once the trolls are gone. We're going to have some shelves over there, and put the store room over there... * Player: Well...you have to admit it's a little..unpolished. * Sabbot: Aye? Well blame the missus for that! The second the trolls came along she packed up all the tools up and moved into her fancy-dan little cottage. But not me. I'm not shifting for some stupid trolls. It's them or me, and I'm winning so far. One day they'll all be dead. Then I'll work this place into a proper little home and shop. Then who'll be laughing, eh? * Player: Probably you, in a high-pitched, insane cackle. * Sabbot: I heard that! * Player: Uh, I need to ask something else. Do you want me to get anything for you? * Sabbot: No! * Player: But I could get you a pickaxe, or a hammer. * Sabbot: No! * Player: What about some food, or some tea? * Sabbot: NO! I don't need you, or yer fancy tools. I'm a dwarf! If I can't do I on me own then I might as well not bother! Do ye think I'd be stuck in this hole, fighting trolls with me are hands and teeth, eating moss, and chipping the walls with a stone if I didn't think I could do it? These trolls aren't gonna beat me! I'm gonna outlast them, and when me wife comes to her senses she'll come back and we can set up together. Aye, we'll set up this little shop, just like we planned. And no trolls are gonna stop us. * Player: Uh...okay. * Sabbot: You're really not goin' to move are ya? * Player: No! * Sabbot: All right. I'll help. If nothin' else I don't want ya standing there watching us while I sleep! * Player: So you know a way up to Death Plateau? * Sabbot: Well if ya want up there you've got two choices. The first one is you can try the airy-fairy, lackluster, shoddy way, clambering over the rocks like some cross eyed goat! Faffing around like a fool, scramblin' about, hand o'er hand, foot o'er foot. Nobody's meant to get around like that, man! It's demeaning! * Player: Well, uh, what's the other way? * Sabbot: Ah, the proper way. UNDER the rocks. * Player: So, what, you want me to dig a tunnel? * Sabbot: Haddaway, man. The trolls might be thick, but they'll spot you carting rubble out by the ton. No, what you need is to break into one of the natural caves under here. That'll sort you out. Then you can enjoy the wonderful sport of cavin' and pot holin'. Ahh, the great feel of scrambling hand o'er food through dark, dank passages ... bliss! * Player: Well, where are these caverns, and can you be sure it'll come out where I need to go? * Sabbot: Well I didn't get much time to do anything but make some notes before the trolls came. I bet Freda had time to put them all together. She's a bit soft in the head from all her living on the surface, but still a canny lass when it comes to geology. You can't miss her place. It's a little house to the west of here. You jus need to follow the only path in that direction and you'll get there. I don't know why she keeps that place when we have a nice comfy cave right here we can turn into a proper home. It's you lot I blame! All your gallivanting around on the surface has turned her head! * Player: Uh...right,I'll got and ask her about the survey then. * Sabbot: Aye, see you later then. Watch your head on the way out, mind. Talking to Freda * Player: Hello there. * Freda: Hello. How can I help you? * Player: * Freda: What do you want that for? * Player: Well, I am looking for another way to get onto Death Plateau so the Guard can ambush the trolls. Your husband told me that there could be caves under it that I could use. * Freda: Oh, he would go telling you that, the old duffer! * Player: You mean there aren't any? * Freda: There are some, but he doesn't understand that humans like you prefer running about and climbing over things instead of digging around. * Player: He did seem a little...upset about the idea of rock climbing. * Freda: Yes, that sounds about right! He's always hated it ever since I managed to get from Rimming to Taverley overground faster than he went underground! He tried going overground himself next time, slipped on some snow and ended up bashing his shoulder on a rock, bless him. Anyway, this survey. I can make a start on it after I get back from town. So you'll have to wait for me to be done with it. He survey we made is written in some very technical terms, and I'll need o dig out all he information for ya. * Player: Is there any chance you could do this and then go into town? * Freda: Well I could, but I really need to get my climbing boots re-spiked. If I don't have that done I might run into trouble if the weather turns. * Player: What if I went and go the boots fixed for you? Would you make a start on the survey then? * Freda: That sounds like a pretty good idea! You're on. I'll make a start while you go take care of this little job for me. Just go and see Dunstan. He knows how I like them. Good smith, that man – for a human, obviously. * Player: Where does he live? * Freda: In one of the houses east of Burthorpe castle. His is the one in the middle. In fact, it would probably be quicker if you used the home teleport spell. It saves you running all the way there and then all the way back. * Player: Thanks for the tip! Talking to Dunstan * Player: Hi! * Dunstan: Hi! Did you want something? * Player: Can you put some fresh spikes on these climbing boots for me? * Dunstan: Hey, these are Freda's boots. Where did you get them? * Player: She gave them to me to get re-spiked. Can you do it, please? * Dunstan: Oh, I suppose so. There you go then, here are your boots. Returning to Freda * Player: Is the report ready? * Freda: Aye, I just finished it about a minute before you walked in. You've got a good sense of timing. * Player: That's great! I have your boots too, by the way. * Freda: That's grand, I'll take them off your hands. Here's the report. * Player: Thanks; I'll take this back to Sabbot's cave. Is there anything you want me to take to him? * Freda: Nah, you're alright. He'd not accept it anyway the stubborn goat that he is! Returning to Sabbot * Player: Can you help me with this survey? * Sabbot: Oh? What's this? Looks like the wife's done a nice, simple version for you to follow. * Player: Yes, but I'd sill like a little help, if that's alright. * Sabbot: You humans...give it here! Uh...huh...I see... That's it. All ya need to do is dig over there. Looks like there is a weak point behind the rock that'll let you into the caverns. * Sabbot: Hey! Watch it! You humans don't know how to mine cleanly at all, do ya? * Player: Well it is pretty messy work. * Sabbot: Excuses,excuses... Hey. Take these. * Player: Thanks! Where did you get them? * Sabbot: Freda keeps sending us them. She knows I hate tomato! Those caves'll likely be dangerous, and even if ya make it to the other side you'll face some trolls. So, either I leave 'em to start stinkin' up the cave or you eat 'em. Either way is good with me! Talking to The Map * Player: Will you look at that...Death Plateau! I'm sure we'll be able to ambush the trolls from up here. And best of all, those dirty, stupid trolls don't know a thing about it. * The Map: 'ullo. * Player: Uh... Err...hello? * Map: 'ullo. * Player: Who are you? * Map: I's The Map. * Player: The map? * Map: Yus. Is got the map, so me and me mates can hav a look around fer ways t' get down t' hooman town for the fightin'. * Player: You have a map of Burthorpe? Who made it? * Map: Big boss made it. But den I ate it. * Player: You ... ate the map? * Map: Yus. Den the uvver trolls say mean fings. 'Lookit dis stooped roll. He so stooped he eats the map. Den dey all called me The Map from den on. * Player: What are you doing here? * Map: I's lost. Me and da lads, we was lookin' for a way down to hooman town. The boss, he say 'You, you carry dis map I's made and go down to fight'. Den, I eat the map. And all de uvvers get angry. And now I is lost ... * Player: What happened next? * Map: Den, we's lost on dis slope. We's got no food. We's got no map. So... I ate everyone. * Player: You ate everyone. * Map: Well dey was dead when I did it. So dat's okay. * Player: Well, if you were starving and they were dead... * Map: Yus. Some of dem try and pretend to be alive still, but I is smart troll. Dey no fool me. * Player: uh... * Map: Hey, is you dead? Just checkin'. * Player: Prepare to die troll! * Map: I eat you, hooman! * Player: Err, I've got to be going now. * Map: No! You is food! I eat you! Returning to Denulth * Player: I've found a hidden overlook point over the route that leads up to Death Plateau! * Denulth: Can we use it to get onto the plateau itself? * Player: Not really...but it is a great place to attach the trolls from they don't expect it. * Denulth: Ambush their reinforcements as they come through the choke point ... I love it! We'll thin their numbers and give our troops on the front lines some respite. Come, let's plan a little surprise for the trolls. You've done great work today. * Denulth: That went very well. When you're ready, those archers will need some crates delivering to them. We have a number of reward lamps for you if you want them. Transcript